The present invention relates to supply chain management and more particularly to techniques for authenticating the shipment and receipt of goods along a supply chain by legitimate parties.
Goods may move along a complex supply chain from the manufacturer to consumers, where goods may be handled by multiple third parties, such as distributors and retailers, along the supply chain between the manufacturer and the consumer. Goods may be stolen, altered, or contaminated along the supply chain or counterfeit goods may be introduced into the supply chain by unscrupulous third parties.
Conventional supply chain management systems do not provide techniques for determining the identity of shippers and receivers of goods along a supply.